Q: What experiences or influences have shaped your passion for financial and economic education?
Financial literacy wasn’t taught at the schools I attended. I really had to do a lot of learning on my own by trial and error, making many expensive mistakes, and ultimately seeking out economic education on my own when I realized how important it was.
One of the lessons you learn when you are becoming financially literate is the power of compounding. It can grow your money exponentially over time. And simply put, the earlier you start, the better. Harnessing this power makes a huge difference in how your financial life is likely to play out.
The impact of helping kids grasp this and other important financial lessons is why I’m passionate about economic education. I know that having this knowledge can be an absolute game changer.
Q: How does participating in Arizona Council on Economic Education programs allow you to make a meaningful impact?
It has been rewarding to me to be able to use ACEE’s platform to share my own knowledge about the investment industry. While I’ve been in the business for 15 years now, I got a relatively late start. I never imagined when I was younger that a career path in the investment world was open to me. It seemed like a sort of exclusive club. I often think how great it would have been to have access to someone in the industry at a younger age – to learn about how it works, how to break in, and hopefully be inspired to make it happen. When I speak to students, I try to make investing an approachable topic. Something they can take part in. It doesn’t have to be mysterious or out of reach. And of course I’m hopeful that I’ll also be that spark that encourages someone to make it their life’s work to help others as a professional investor.
Q: What makes ACEE significant to you and your commitment to empowering students and communities?
I love the programs that ACEE offers to students. It’s been a while since I was in school, but it is still easy to imagine what it would have been like to have those resources back then. To learn those lessons – to know about making a budget, saving, investing. They are so important and can mean the difference between living a fruitful life or struggling. I know the time, energy and resources that ACEE is using today to empower students with financial knowledge will pay dividends in the years ahead and strengthen our Arizona communities.
